Mutant Cooperation
by ZariDenim
Summary: Splinter send a request to some of his friends from back in Japan to find other mutants that are training in martial arts and fighting. He finds some mutants for the turtles to learn new fighting techniques, and that they are not as alone as they believe.
1. New Allies

**TMNT - Mutant Cooperation**

**Disclaimer: ****_I do not own TMNT or any of the characters aside from my original characters. All rights go to Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird._**

**Chapter 1:New Allies**

The turtles returned to their home in the sewer below New York City after a night of chasing down the remnants of the foot clan. Shredder had been gone for two years, yet there were still those that would follow orders as though he had never been killed.

"My sons," Splinter called to them as they entered. "Join me."

The turtles entered his sitting area with Leonardo at the front.

"You have fought well, my sons. The peace in the city has been strong for many months. Though now, I feel a grave danger is approaching," Splinter began.

"We are brave, master," Leonardo responded.

"This I know," Splinter replied. "In the quest for lasting peace, I have requested the help of some old friends to bring you new allies." He turns to look in the dining area.

A being with a fox-face and covered in cream color fur nodded to them from her seat at the table. She was wearing a brown tunic and pants. "Ninjara, it's nice to meet you."

Beside her stood two other beings. One taller and more broad, with black and red striped and spotted slick skin resembling that of a newt. He wore black and orange clothing that looked to be monk in design, complete with a black hood that covered his eyes when it was up. The other was shorter and thinner, with yellow skin and black stripes and spots that also resembled a newt's skin. She wore a similar outfit, but her mask covered the top of her head and around her eyes, it tied behind her with multiple strands, falling into what appeared to be black braids. "I am Apollo and this is my sister, Artemis," the larger one said, with a deep voice that was smooth as silk. The smaller of the newts bowed her head in introduction.

Splinter motioned to the turtles. "And these are my sons, Leonardo," Leonardo bowed his head, "Raphael," Raphael nodded, "Donatello," Donatello smiled, "and Michaelangelo," Michaelangelo waved.

Ninjara, the fox, eyed the turtles warily.

"They seem formidable," Apollo stated to Splinter. "I would expect no less from the great Master Yoshi."

Splinter nodded in thanks and stood from his seat, using his cane to steady himself. "I shall inform your masters of your arrival." With that, he left the room, leaving the turtles in an awkward silence with the other mutants.

"So…" Mikey broke the looming silence. "Anyone for pizza?"

Ninjara made a face that combined confusion and distaste. She was clearly not impressed with them.

Artemis looked to her brother.

"We…shall partake of this…pizza," Apollo agreed.

^.^

"Pizza time!" Michaelangelo said excitedly as he brought the pizzas to the dining table in the sewer.

Apollo stood by the table, looming over the strange food.

"What is it?" Ninjara asked with her nose wrinkled against the scent.

"It's pizza," Leonardo told her. "It's dinner."

Artemis remained by the wall, avoiding any close contact with the table and the strange thing sitting on it.

"Here," Donatello said as he handed Apollo a piece of pizza. "It's good."

Apollo took the slice from Donatello and nodded in appreciation. "Many thanks," he told him politely.

Ninjara watched Apollo as though she were waiting to ensure that the food were safe before attempting to try it herself.

Raphael took a slice and began eating without a second thought to his new company.

Apollo took a small bite after watching Raphael eat a piece. "It is interesting," he stated. He continued to eat.

Michaelangelo brought a piece across the room to Artemis. "Here you go," he told her with a smile.

Artemis looked to the slice of pizza in his green hand warily.

"Do not be rude, Artemis," Apollo told her over his shoulder, watching the exchange between the two with a strong gaze.

Artemis bowed in thanks and took the pizza from Michaelangelo. "Thank you," she said in a soft voice.

"Splinter said you guys don't eat meat, so I got you a veggie delight," Michaelangelo told her, making another attempt at conversation.

Artemis took a small bite and smiled slightly to him. "It is good."

Michaelangelo grinned. "Maybe I could show you how to do some sewer surfing later?"

Artemis took another bite and looked from Michaelangelo to her brother.

Apollo gave a small nod and turned back to a conversation that he was having with Leonardo.

"So you were raised by monks? Maybe you could teach me some meditation strategies," Leonardo asked hopefully.

"Of course. I would be happy to learn from a student of Master Yoshi," Artemis said before taking another small bite of the pizza.

Michaelangelo smiled. "Radical!"

"Is that a human made station?" Ninjara asked, motioning to Donatello's workshop with her nose.

Donatello looked over to his workspace. "Oh, my machines. No, no. That's just my little collection of technology."

Ninjara nodded, eyeing the area as though it were cursed. "Usagi did mention you were skilled with…technology."

Donatello felt heat rise in his cheeks. "Well, I've picked up a little bit."

"How long will you be staying?" Leonardo asked Apollo.

"Our masters have requested that we learn from you for a month's time, and then if you feel so inclined, you may return with us to train as well," Apollo told him.

"That's great!" Leonardo said happily. The chance to train with monks was an offer that he was not about to refuse.

Apollo eyed Michaelangelo and his sister again and then turned back to Leonardo. "Where has your brother gone?"

Leonardo noted Raphael's absence. "He disappears sometimes," he told him.

Apollo nodded. "A lone warrior cannot defeat an army," he stated calmly.

Leonardo nodded. "He just likes some space."

"We'll be back!" Michaelangelo said as he pulled Artemis toward the entrance to their sewer home.

Leonardo noted the gaze that Apollo was giving Michaelangelo, and he followed after his brother to halt him. "Mikey…uh, they just got here, maybe we should help them settle in first?"

Michaelangelo looked at his brother in disappointment. "But I was going to… Oh, all right, fine."

Leonardo sighed in relief. He understood that having a new friend, especially a female friend was new to Michaelangelo, but he also understood an older brother's concern for his siblings. He needed to make sure that everyone would get along during this experiment.

"I'll show you to your room. It ain't the Ritz, but it's home," Michaelangelo told Artemis as he pulled her by her hand.

"What is 'the Ritz'?" Artemis asked softly as she followed him.

Leonardo smiled nervously at Apollo. "We don't get many visitors," he explained.

"Clearly," Ninjara said supporting her chin with her hand as she leaned on the table.

"He'll mellow out eventually," Donatello informed her.

"You don't seem all that phased by this," Leonardo told Apollo.

Apollo folded his arms over his chest. "We have others in our village, and are well socialized with the monks."

Donatello looked to Ninjara as though to pose her the same question.

"I am a goddess in the village I reside in. The humans praise me and rely on my protection," Ninjara explained.

"Wow," Donatello exclaimed. "That must be nice. No sneaking around and living in hiding."

"It does not for the stealth element of being a ninja," Apollo stated, "nor the ability to be humble."

Leonardo saw a fire in Ninjara's gaze at Apollo's comment. He wondered if they had traveled together to reach New York. "Hey, how about I help you find a room and get settled in, huh?"

Apollo nodded in thanks. "Many thanks, my friend."

Leonardo led Apollo out of the dining area before Ninjara could speak.

Ninjara turned her eyes from Apollo. "Obviously living in seclusion with those monks hasn't done much for his social skills," she said aloud to no one in particular.

"Ah, he's probably just a little jealous," Donatello told her. "I know I am. I wish I could walk openly in the public."

"Perhaps you will return with me to train then? My people will respect you and treat you as an honored guest," Ninjara told him.

"Sounds excellent!" Donatello told her. "What kind of internet access do you guys have out there?"

Ninjara looked to him questioningly.

^.^

"But don't think you have to just stay in this room," Michaelangelo told Artemis. "We can play video games, dance in the entranceway, there's a lot to do here."

Artemis looked around and nodded soberly.

"It's all right, Artemis," Apollo said as he and Leonardo approached the two. "We're here to learn from them. We'll go home soon enough."

Artemis nodded to her brother.

Leonardo gave his brother a warning gaze.

Michaelangelo raised his arms as though to question, "What did I do?"

"I apologize," Apollo addressed everyone at once. "My sister fears the above. Humans were not as kind to her as to some."

Artemis avoided eye contact with the others in the room.

Leonardo suddenly understood why Apollo did not appreciate Ninjara's excitement about being popular amongst the humans. He wasn't envious, as the turtles may have felt, he was angry. He was angry with the humans. He didn't want to be around them, or have their praise and adoration. He wanted to stay far away from them, and keep his sister safe.

"Don't worry, dudette," Michaelangelo told Artemis, placing a sympathetic hand on her shoulder. "Humans pretty much stay away from us down here."

"Hey, guys," April called as she descended the ladder into the room. "How's it goin'? I brought you some stuff."

Apollo stiffened and moved in front of his sister protectively.

"Except that one," Leonardo said to no one in particular. "She's a friend," he told Apollo.

"A friend?" Apollo asked, questioningly watching as the woman with orange hair approached, carrying shopping bags.

"April," Leonardo greeted her. "We have some guests."

April looked at Apollo with wide eyes. "I can see that."

"April, this is Apollo and his sister…" Leonardo's words trailed off when he noticed that Artemis was gone. He hadn't heard her move. He wondered what they could possibly teach someone with such extraordinary stealth skills.

"Dude," Michaelangelo exclaimed, "Where'd she go?"

Apollo stepped forward. "My sister is hesitant when meeting humans," he explained. "I am Apollo."

April nodded with a nervous smile. "Charmed." She looked past him to Michaelangelo. "I brought you a present, Mikey."

Michaelangelo began searching the room. "Can I catch up with you later, April?" He moved out of the room, continuing his search. "Artemis… Artemis…Come on out. Nobody's here to hurt you."

April looked to Leonardo and gave him a knowing smile.

Leonardo laughed nervously. "He's very excited to have company."

Apollo turned and watched Michaelangelo leave the room.

Leonardo worried that he may be watching Michaelangelo too closely. He'd have to have a discussion with his brother later about limits. "He's just trying to be friendly," he assured Apollo.

"If he finds her, I will be impressed," Apollo stated, turning his attention back to April. "Having a human ally is an intelligent move. What protection do you offer?"

April smiled sheepishly. "Well, actually, they protect me."

Apollo looked to Leonardo.

"We kind of act as the city's silent heroes," Leonardo explained. "We protect everyone, and we have to remain hidden in order to avoid panic."

Apollo nodded. "I see. So you are unknown among them."

Leonardo nodded.

"We can learn much from you," Apollo told him.

^.^

Raphael lay across his bed turning his sai in his hand. "Don't think about her," he reminded himself silently. "Don't think about her." He attempted to push out any memory of Mona Lisa. He hadn't heard from her since she vowed to put a stop to Captain Filch's experiments and left on her own. Had he meant nothing to her? He shook his head to knock the memories away. "Don't think about her," he whispered to himself.

It was then that he heard it. Someone was in his room. The sound of someone's breath catching in their throat was slight, but it had been there.

Raphael sat up on his bed as though he hadn't noticed. He'd catch the intruder and be sure to let everyone know they were sneaking around. He imaged it to be the fox. She hadn't seemed trustworthy to him to begin with.

He stood and walked to the side of the room that he had heard the breath. He'd catch her in the act and get her sent home. The lack of other mutants would stop his memories of Mona. He whipped around quickly and grabbed a manikin with a jacket and hat. Perhaps he had imagined it? No. He had heard someone. She was still in there.

"All right, who there?" Raphael stated.

The room was silent for a moment, before Artemis removed herself from the boxes piled on the opposite side of the room.

"I am terribly sorry," she said with a bow. "I did not know anyone was in this room, and I did not want you to feel as though I meant to spy on you."

Raphael was impressed that he hadn't heard her move. He knew she had been on the other side of the room when he heard her breath. "Yeah, well this ain't your room, so ya can beat it now."

Artemis nodded and walked to his door. She stopped and turned back to look at him over her shoulder. "I do not know who you were talking about just now, but she wouldn't want you to stop thinking of her," she said to him kindly.

Raphael gave her a serious expression.

Artemis gave him a soft smile. "Sometimes memories are the only thing we have, and that is why we should not ignore them or block them out."

Raphael didn't speak, but his face expressed that her words had an effect on him.

Artemis smiled at him softly and left the room. She could still smell the sweet perfume of the human woman in the sewer. She turned and disappeared into the shadows in a corner to avoid being seen by her. She would not be hurt by humans again.

Michaelangelo entered the room and looked around. "April's not so bad, Ari," he said aloud, "she even brought us potato chips."

Artemis watched him from the shadows. A human with gifts was still a human. All humans were dangerous.

Michaelangelo looked into the darkness and locked eyes with her for an instant.

Artemis wondered if he had actually seen her.

Michaelangelo moved toward the darkness, and Artemis scaled the wall to avoid him catching her.

Michaelangelo turned and leaned his shell against the sewer wall. "Come on, I know you're there. I can smell you," he said to the empty room.

Artemis came closer to him. "What do I smell like?"

Michaelangelo smiled nervously and felt heat rise into his cheeks. "Like happiness and all things sweet at once."

Artemis felt heat rise into her face. "What did you call me before?"

Michaelangelo rubbed the back of his head. "Oh, oops. Ari. It was just a little nickname. You know, you give them to your friends."

Artemis smiled at him. "I like it."

Michaelangelo grinned at her. "Really? Radical!" He let his eyes rest on hers for a moment. "So, you want to try sewer surfing now?"

Artemis leapt from the wall, her long yellow and black tail flowing behind her elegantly. She stepped closer to Michaelangelo and put her hand out for him to take again. "I would love to, Michaelangelo."

Michaelangelo smiled as he took her hand and began leading her out of his room, grabbing two skateboards on the way out. "You can call me, Mikey, by the way."

"Because we are…friends?" Artemis asked him.

Michaelangelo grinned as he led her up the ladder. "Yeah. We're good friends already, Ari."

^.^

"It creates fire?" Ninjara said with disbelief as she looked at the torch.

"I promise," Donatello told her, "You don't want to play with it."

Ninjara looked at his technology. "What is the purpose of all this?"

Donatello turned around in his chair, a pair of special goggles resting on his forehead now. "Well, I can monitor the city from here and make sure we can react if anyone is up to anything."

Ninjara looked at a monitor. "Throughout the entire city?"

"Actually, just anywhere that has a security system in place," he told her as he flipped it on. "But, sort of, yes. It's easy."

Ninjara nodded. "It is very noble of you to protect people that would fear you. I would have abandoned my people if they had not adored me."

Donatello shrugged. "Well, Splinter taught us to help those weaker than ourselves."

Ninjara looked sadly upon the technology. "Perhaps that is a better path," she stated soberly.

^.^

"So, you know all of these…ninjas?" April asked Splinter, purposefully using the word ninja instead of mutant. She had been hearing stories of mutagen like the kind that transformed the turtles being dumped in various parts of the world and strange creatures appearing. She had discredited them, and hadn't even considered a connection with the turtles when she met them.

"Well, technically, they aren't all ninjas. Some have just been transformed and have powers that need to be controlled," Leonardo told her.

"It is wise to learn from each other," Splinter said calmly.

Leonardo nodded.

April turned to Apollo. "Do you have special powers?"

Apollo shook his head. "I have Kung Fu and Wushu that my sister and I have perfected under the tutelage of the Shaolin monks."

"And pretty decent skills in sneaking around," Raphael said as he entered the room.

Apollo looked at him through the corner of his eye. "You found my sister?"

Raphael shrugged. "Sort of."

Leonardo gave Raphael a warning stare.

"She went sewer surfing with Mikey," Raphael said, changing the subject.

Apollo nodded.

"So how did you become…" April began, not knowing how to complete the question.

"Artemis and I came into contact with mutagen when we were younger. I had a pet newt at the time," Apollo explained.

"I lived in a burrow not far from my village now. I was a fox first, and changed when I came into contact with the mutagen," Ninjara told her.

April looked to Apollo. "So you were human once?"

Apollo nodded. "Yes. When we complete our mission here, my sister and I begin a journey to discover an antidote."

Leonardo, Raphael and Donatello all lifted their heads at his words.

"You know of an antidote?" Leonardo asked hopefully.

Apollo nodded. "My sister and I have been searching for one for years. We may actually have a real path this time."

"Could you take us with you?" Raphael asked urgently.

"You wish to return to your former selves? Were you not simply turtles before?" Ninjara asked.

"But Master Splinter wasn't," Leonardo said.

"We'd do anything to help him change back," Donatello told them.

Apollo nodded in understanding. "Perhaps our master will find it a fitting challenge."

Leonardo smiled at Raphael.

^.^

"Okay, so don't lean too much, or you'll fall off," Michaelangelo said, steadying Artemis with his hands.

"This is strange," she told him.

"You got this. Just gotta get used to standing on it first," Michaelangelo told her.

Artemis put her hands out to balance herself. When the skateboard settled, she looked to Michaelangelo. "Now what?"

Michaelangelo smiled at her. "Okay, try to take a little step with one foot and push the board forward."

Artemis made an attempt and twisted her body, causing her to slip and the skateboard to roll into the wall. She landed roughly on Michaelangelo, leaving him on his shell. "I'm so sorry!" she exclaimed as she slipped off of him and helped him to his feet.

"It's cool," Michaelangelo told her. "Just a little wipeout."

Artemis gave him a questioning look, but then released a small laugh. "Perhaps I will need more practice?"

Michaelangelo grinned at her. "Yeah. Yeah, anytime." He felt his heart leap into his chest when he noticed that she was still holding onto his hand. He released her hand and pulled his back in nervousness. "Whoops! Got a little caught up in the moment there."

Artemis smiled at him and let out a soft laugh.

"Hey, Mickey," Raphael called as he approached his brother on a skateboard. "April's gone, and big brother is waiting for her to get back."

Michaelangelo grabbed the two skateboards from the sewer floor. "Let's call it quits for today," he told Artemis as he began to lead her back to their home.

Artemis nodded in thanks to Raphael.

"Hey," Raphael addressed her. "Thanks for the advice."

Artemis smiled and bowed to Raphael. She turned and caught up to Michaelangelo and placed her hand in his again. "My brother should attempt this 'sewer surfing' as well," she told him.

"Sure," Michaelangelo told her, but not with as much excitement as before. "The more the merrier."

^.^

Leonardo sat by his candles meditating. Raphael was in far more disarray than usual, Michaelangelo was pushing with Artemis and making Apollo watchful, and Donatello was giving a lot of information to Ninjara far too quickly. He needed some clear focus on the situations and a decent plan to solve them.

"Looking for guidance, oh wise leader?" a familiar female voice echoed into his room.

Leonardo's eyes opened quickly, his focus instantly broken. "Venus?"

Venus De Milo stepped into his room, her cyan mask tied high on her head with the ends hanging down as though it were a long ponytail. "When Master Yoshi asked me to come here I could hardly argue, but I never expected you to be overwhelmed before I even arrived."

Leonardo stood and walked over to her. He placed a hand on her shoulder. "It's good to see you, old friend."

Venus smiled at him. "It is good to see you too. Now, how can I help?"

Leonardo sighed. "Maybe you could talk to Mickey. He's been…"

Venus smiled. "A little too excited having a new girl around?"

Leonardo smiled at her knowing so much about the group. He was glad that she hadn't forgotten about them.

"He longs for affection. Is it so strange that he might try harder for attention when someone new appears?" Venus asked him.

Leonardo sighed and stared out of the room at nothing in particular. "She's here with her brother, though. It's only a matter of time before he steps up to put a stop to it."

"Perhaps he won't," Venus offered. "Apollo is quite mature, his concerns will fade when he comes to know Michaelangelo better."

Leonardo looked to Venus and lowered his brow at her. "You're pulling for him, aren't you?"

Venus looked away from Leonardo. "I have met Artemis and find her to require more joy from life. Michaelangelo can offer her this."

Leonardo pushed her playfully. "I knew it! You're playing matchmaker!"

Venus pushed him back with her shoulder. "The four of you are my family. I must assist you."

Leonardo smirked at her. "So who are you going to set up with me?"

Venus smiled at him slightly and turned away from him. "You do not require assistance."

Leonardo grinned widely at her.

^.^

"I did not know you knew the turtles, Mei," Apollo told her as the group sat together in a common area of the sewer.

"Yes. Master Chung I sent me to find Master Yoshi last year after seeing mysterious sightings of others similar to myself. Eighteen years ago, he had bought me as a present for his niece, but dropped me into a sewer drain by accident. When he retrieved me, I had been in contact with mutagen and had begun my transformation when we returned to China," Venus explained. She looked to Leonardo and the other turtles. "And I have known Apollo and Artemis for many years when Master Chung I sent me to train with them as a Shaolin warrior."

Artemis bowed to Venus. "You are a treasured friend."

"How come you didn't mention them before?" Raphael balked.

Venus looked to him calmly, but forcefully. "I was not asked, and there were pressing matters at hand."

"We have only one more guest to arrive from Africa. Our training will begin tomorrow," Splinter addressed everyone at once. "Until then, become acquainted."

Leonardo bowed to his master. "Yes, Master Splinter."

Splinter turned and walked off to his private area in the sewer.

"Do you think the guest from Africa is a student of Master Zulu?" Artemis asked her brother.

Apollo shrugged. "Must be. I wonder if he's sending Sumani. He is a powerful warrior."

Artemis nodded soberly.

"Were you hoping for somebody else?" Michaelangelo asked her.

Artemis looked up at him in surprise. "No!" she answered quickly. Apollo nudged her with his elbow. "Yes," she admitted slowly. "My friend Ashia. She is a master of Nguni stick fighting and a changeling like us."

Apollo stood solid with his arms over his chest. "A failed attempt to find an antidote led us to Africa and to a tribe that practiced the tradition of Nguni. Ashia was seen as a creature of good luck by her people and was transformed after being exposed to an experiment from an insane pirate who attempted to attack her village."

"Sounds fascinating," Donatello said, recognizing the significant similarity to the story of how Mona Lisa had been transformed as well. "What kind of animal was she?"

"Look for yourself," a strong female voice with an African accent called out to them from the entrance. A beautiful girl with features of a savannah cat, yellow fur with black spots and a long striped tail stood proud with two sticks strapped to her back.

"Ashia!" Artemis exclaimed as she ran to her longtime friend and greeted her with a hug.

Ashia hugged her and smiled, exposing her fangs. "My friend, it is good to see you."

"Have you received my letters?" Artemis asked her.

"Yes. It is difficult to return letters at this time in my village. A tribal war has ended," she told her.

Artemis bowed to her. "I will keep you in my prayers."

Ashia stepped forward. "I am Ashia, Nguni protector and guardian, and student of Master Zulu."

The others introduced themselves, each clearly impressed with her formidable appearance and beautiful features.

"Can Ashia stay with us?" Artemis asked her brother.

"If she wishes," Apollo agreed.

Leonardo nearly sighed in relief. He would at least be able to relax knowing that Michaelangelo wouldn't attempt to ask Artemis out for a nightly stroll if there were two people staying with her in that room.

^.^

Donatello set up the computer to monitor the city. It would wake him through an alarm that he programed if there was any suspicious activity.

"What is this?" Ashia asked as she entered his workshop and looked around.

Donatello hadn't heard her approach. She was as stealthy as a cat. "Oh, oh this? It's just a video monitoring system."

Ashia looked at the people and the videos tracing the three screens with multiple small windows open within them. "These are the people from the above?" she asked him.

"Well, yes. You see, I've linked it to the security cameras around the city, so I can monitor when the Foot clan attacks, or if any other trouble comes up," Donatello explained to her.

"Amazing," Ashia exclaimed. "You are very wise."

Donatello felt a heat rise in his cheeks. "Eh, it's just a little technical knowledge."

Ashia smiled and brought her face close to his. "You need not be modest with me. This is amazing."

Donatello felt his heartbeat quicken. He had seen that she was overly affectionate with Artemis, but he imagined that she understood personal boundaries better than this. "It's not all that special though. Anyone can learn to do this."

"Is this true?" Ashia asked excitedly. "Will you teach me?"

Donatello looked into her green catlike eyes. She was actually interested in what he was doing. "Uh…sure. I can show you a few things."

Ashia grinned and stood up straight. "I am told your bow is as mighty as a sword," she told him.

Donatello shrugged. "I guess."

Ashia grinned at him. "I am happy to see there is even more to you."

Donatello rubbed the back of his head to calm his nerves. "I'm embarrassed that I don't know anything about you."

Ashia stepped out of his workshop and stopped to look at him over her shoulder. "I pleaded with my master to send me, not Sumani. I longed to see your wonders," she told him. She smiled at him before turning and walking away, saying, "Do not disappoint me."

Donatello sat, unable to move, in his ripped computer chair. "You came…for me?"

**Message from Author:**

_Okay. So I can't promise that I will update every month, but I will update as often as I can._

_Also, I am aware that many people cannot stand Venus in her entirety. I like the idea of a female turtle being a part of the group. I have, however, decided to completely change her back story, as the whole idea of the four brothers not actually being brothers ruins the family feel they have. Instead, she was not in the bowl with them, but was exposed to mutagen that had traveled down the sewer instead._

_Ninjara is loosely based on her character._

_Sumani, Ashia, Artemis and Apollo are all mine. Just some original characters that I added to spice up the story. Let me know what you think of them._

_I will continue to update this story based on the kind of response it gets, so give me some feedback!_

_~Zari_


	2. Training and Growing

Chapter 2:

Artemis moved swiftly and deliberately as a Shaolin warrior should. Her movements possibly even more smooth than Venus's.

Ashia defended herself against an attack with her left bow and swung the bow in her right hand at Artemis.

Artemis turned away from the attack gracefully and used her tail to attempt to trip Ashia.

Ashia blocked her tailed with her defending stick, and looked to her with a sly smile. "You have been training," she stated in an almost purr.

Artemis looked to Michelangelo, who had been watching the entire sparring match. "Would you like to try?" she asked.

Michelangelo pointed to himself. "Me? I don't know if I'm ready for the double bows yet."

Ashia walked away from the clearing. "Have a lesson in soft Kung Fu with Artemis then. She is a good teacher."

Artemis smiled and looked to Michelangelo with her large black eyes, slightly hidden by her black bandana. "Yes, please! And then you can teach me more sewer surfing!"

Michelangelo met her in the clearing. "Now _that_ I'm pretty good at."

"You must first level your Qi," she told him, bringing her hands to her center and placing them together. "Taijiquan is about centering your Qi, and using your opponent's unbalance against them," she explained.

Michelangelo mimicked her pose. He took a deep breath and released it slowly.

"Do not force the balance," Artemis told him. "Allow it to come naturally."

"Easy for you to say," Michelangelo thought to himself. If only she knew that focus and the mental side of martial arts was his worst portion.

"You are far too unbalanced," Artemis said, turning and taking his hands in hers. She placed his hands differently, one in a fist and the other flat. "Do not force yourself to breathe, and do not force yourself to think of anything. Clear your mind."

Michelangelo wondered if she could sense his nerves. He had been so excited to see a girl that wasn't already clinging to Leonardo or Raphael. Now she was even comfortable enough to touch him. How was he even supposed to react? Could he just grab her and kiss her like they did on the television?

"Close your eyes," Artemis told him, looking up at him with just her eyes. She was at least a head shorter than him, clearly the smallest creature in the group.

Michelangelo obeyed her. He closed his eyes and noticed immediately that he could smell her scent stronger and felt the smoothness of her skin on his rough hands.

"Clear your mind," Artemis instructed. "Follow my voice to a quiet place, a place with no walls, no objects, no distractions. There is only light. Follow my voice to this place."

Michelangelo found himself imagining walking away from the confines of his mind and into an open area where there was nothing but white. It didn't feel as though he were confined in the light, but free and in an endless land of white.

"Good," Artemis told him, releasing his hands.

Michelangelo was instantly brought back to the sewer as he opened his eyes in reaction. "That's good?"

Artemis smiled at him. "That is a balanced Qi." She bowed to him. "Lesson complete."

Michelangelo laughed. "That's the first time I've ever completed a lesson with the mind on the first try."

"Yeah, it usually takes at least six or seven, right Mikey?" Raphael said as he entered the area. He looked to Artemis, and leaned down to attempt some intimidation. "Want to teach me?"

Artemis tilted her head at Raphael. "You are so lonely, why?"

Raphael felt himself instinctively move back from her.

Michelangelo snickered beside him.

"Shut up," Raphael snapped at his brother. He looked back to Artemis. "No mind games," he told her.

Artemis nodded soberly. "The way of the Shaolin warrior is that of the mind. Master your mind, and you can master everything."

Raphael lowered his eyes at her. "Mind over matter hasn't worked all that well for me."

"Perhaps because you have less mind than matter," Venus said as she entered the area. "Artemis is a master of the Shaolin art. You should do less talking and more listening to her."

Raphael looked away from Venus and turned his eyes to Artemis. "I'm listening."

Artemis placed his hands in the same position she had placed Michelangelo's only moments before. "Close your eyes," she instructed him.

Raphael scoffed as he closed his eyes. "Let's see you clear my mind."

Artemis spoke softly to Raphael, forcing him to listen closely to hear her. "Follow my voice."

Raphael found himself in a dark area with random red areas that were dimly lit.

"Follow my voice to a lighted place. Follow me to the place of peace," he could hear Artemis's soft voice.

Raphael followed her voice by climbing a black wall with red spikes. When he reached the top, he found a lighted area that had a field with a soft breeze.

"Follow me to see the light clearly, and feel the peace as it surrounds you," she spoke softly.

Raphael looked around as the tall grass rustled calmly in the wind. A blue cloud passed in the white sky. He could smell fresh water when he inhaled.

"Good," Artemis said as she released his hands.

Instantly Raphael felt the wind stop and the smell of the water vanish. The ground beneath him gave way and he fell into the same black and red place as before. He opened his eyes quickly.

Artemis looked up to him. "Your Qi does not balance well," she told him.

Raphael turned away from her. "It don't need to."

"Artemis has the ability to settle even the most pained soul," Apollo said as he joined the group. "But we did not come here for _you_ to learn from _us_."

Raphael looked to Artemis. The thought that he should thank her for his moment of peace and clarity fleeted from his mind quickly. Maybe another time when there weren't so many people around.

"Yes! You must teach me your sewer surfing!" Artemis said excitedly.

"It was my understanding that you are ninjas," Ashia said as she stepped up to them. "Are we not to learn your ninjutsu?"

"That's what ya came here for, right?" Raphael said, looking to Apollo. "Then come on big guy, let's get ya started on lesson one."

"I am to train with your brother to learn the way of the sword from a true master," Apollo said calmly.

"Say what?" Raphael said, sounding annoyed.

"You are to train my sister. Her skills are impressive, but she must learn to use small weapons as well," Apollo told him.

"Guess, you're with me then," Raphael told Artemis.

Artemis bowed to him in thanks.

"I'll teach you some chucking too," Michelangelo said quickly.

"Are the lessons finally starting? I thought we were all on vacation for a moment," Ninjara said smugly as she entered the area. "I'll join you."

Artemis turned to Ashia. "Will you join us?"

Ashia smiled at her. "Another time. I came here to learn the way of the ninja bow," she told her as she turned and walked away.

Raphael pulled his sais from their holders and handed them to Artemis. "Lesson one, begin. Let's see what you've got."

Artemis looked at the sais and back to Raphael. "But…you have not taught me yet."

"Learning by experience, huh?" Ninjara said as she approached. "Perhaps you will be a better teacher," she said looking to Michelangelo.

Michelangelo turned from Artemis to Ninjara. "Sure. I'll give you a little demonstration." He pulled his nun chucks out and began to show off his skills. After about a minute of doing a few flips and twists, he stopped and grinned, knowing his skills would be received well.

Ninjara nodded in approval.

Artemis applauded him. "Amazing!" she praised him.

Michelangelo was beaming.

"I did not come to learn your nun chuck skills, but your hand to hand combat. I am a swordswoman myself and prefer to remain that way," Ninjara told him.

Michelangelo put his nun chucks back. "Okay, so we'll start with the basics then."

"Yeah, yeah. Okay, that's enough watching," Raphael said as he turned Artemis away from the two. He wrapped his hands over Artemis's and moved himself close to her so she would need to move with him. "Just follow me," he told her, pushing her arms in his desired position. "Don't think of it like a sword, it's a defense and an offense. Be smooth when you go for a stab," he said as he brought her arm in closer and slid to back out.

Artemis cringed at his closeness.

Raphael released her. "You try it."

Artemis did the same motions he taught her again. She looked to him for his critique.

"Not bad, newbie," Raphael told her as he came closer again. "Let's practice some control." He told her hand with one hand and the sai with another. "Use your thumb to steady it and this finger to flip it up," he explained and he showed her what to do.

Artemis obeyed, and looked to him for approval again.

"What? I gotta praise you every time you do something right? We'll be here all day," Raphael told her.

Artemis smiled at him and bowed. "Thank you."

Raphael rolled his eyes at her. "Whatever. Let's keep goin'."

"I do not understand," Ninjara said as she turned her paw on the sewer floor. "My feet must be well planted when using my sword skills," she explained.

Michelangelo shrugged. "Yeah, but a lot of ninjutsu is based on aikido, so you gotta be able to move freely and trip up your opponent. You also gotta be able to be ready to grab and throw somebody if you get close enough," he told her.

Ninjara pushed a stray strand of black hair that had fallen in her face back into place. "Show me again," she said with a soft sigh.

"Hey, Mikey," Raphael called. "Can we borrow your student for a minute?"

Michelangelo shrugged. "I don't care."

Ninjara turned to face Raphael. "What do you want?"

Raphael molded his body into Artemis's again. "Come at us with your best sword attack," he told her.

Ninjara unsheathed her sword. "A shame you are using a young girl as a meat shield," she told him and she moved into attack mode. She moved lighter on her feet than Leonardo did when he used his sword. She was across the room in an instant, with her sword coming down from above over the two.

"Stay loose," Raphael whispered into Artemis's ear. He instantly felt her release her tension.

When Ninjara's sword came down, Raphael moved the left sai toward it and turned it to the side to push the sword away from them, he then turned his right sai and placed it below Ninjara's throat.

Ninjara looked to him with wide eyes.

Raphael released her and then let go of Artemis. "And _that's_ why no sword can stand against my sai."

"Most impressive," Artemis told Raphael.

"Try me again," Ninjara ordered him, lowering her eyebrows to express her distaste.

"Look, lady," Raphael began, "I got a pupil already."

"I cannot allow you to make a fool of me without returning the favor," Ninjara told him.

"One more time then?" Raphael said, taking his sais from Artemis and getting into position. "Bring it on."

Ninjara came at him with multiple attacks, but Raphael blocked each one, diverting her sword with his sai effortlessly.

Raphael smirked at her cockily. "Had enough yet?"

"Once more!" Ninjara said as she leapt at him again with her sword over her head.

Raphael disarmed her of her sword and smiled at her. "Yeah, that was a good try."

Ninjara lowered her eyebrows at him.

"How about we take a break?" Michelangelo offered.

Artemis looked to him. "And after, may you teach me to use your nun chucks?"

Michelangelo grinned at her. "Sure!"

Raphael shook his head at his brother, rolling his eyes to fully express his annoyance.

Ninjara snatched her sword back from Raphael. "No one has ever disarmed me," she told him.

Raphael shrugged. "Sorry to break your record."

Ninjara looked to him with her orange eyes. "Train with me," she told him, a command more than a request.

Raphael lowered his eyes at her. "Look, lady, I got a student," he said, motioning to Artemis.

Artemis bowed slightly. "I do not mind. Michelangelo may train me," she told him.

Raphael turned to face her with confusion. "Say what?"

"For today?" Artemis said, watching him with her hands palms together as though she were praying.

Raphael looked to Michelangelo with a large grin overtaking his brother's face. He sighed. "All right," he agreed.

Artemis smiled at looked to Michelangelo.

"Come on, Ari," Michelangelo told her. "I got something to show ya." He took her hand and pulled her out of the clearing.

Raphael watched them run away. He sighed and shook his head as he turned back to Ninjara.

"He does not hide his desire well, does he?" Ninjara said, motioning to Michaelangelo with her nose.

Raphael shrugged. "He doesn't spend a lot of time with girls."

Ninjara smirked at him. "And you do?"

Raphael looked to her as his mouth dropped open slightly. "So what if I do?"

Ninjara shrugged and walked past him, swaying her tail behind her. "Then you won't need to fear being alone with me."

Raphael watched her leave the area and shook his head. What was that even supposed to mean?

^.^

"There you go," Michelangelo said as he steadied Artemis on the skateboard. "You're startin' to get the hang of it."

"I do not feel I am 'hanging' very well," Artemis told him.

"It's cool, Ari," Michelangelo encouraged her. "Just think about how you got me to relax. You gotta be loose."

Artemis steadied herself and the board no longer tilted. "I believe I am ready."

"Okay, let's teach you to move it," Michelangelo told her.

"Artemis," Apollo said as he approached the two. "What are you doing?"

Artemis leapt off the skateboard and bowed to her brother. "I was learning to ride this board," she said immediately.

Apollo shook his head at her. "We did not come here to learn this," he said, eyeing the skateboard as though it were garbage.

"We were taking a break, so I thought I'd teach her some other stuff," Michelangelo told him in an attempt to keep Artemis out of trouble.

Apollo looked at him coolly. "I thank you for the thought, but perhaps our time here is better spent in training or resting," he explained.

Artemis lowered her head.

"Sure, dude," Michelangelo said, easing the tension, "Ari, I'll go show you some more chucking moves, okay?"

Artemis nodded and bowed to her brother as Michelangelo pulled her from the sewer carrying his skateboard with him.

Apollo watched after them, narrowing his eyes to small slits.

"He's a little too serious, huh?" Michelangelo said when he felt they were out of earshot.

"He is afraid to lose focus," Artemis explained. "We must master our abilities to be able to find a cure."

Michelangelo stopped walking. "So you two are looking for a cure too?"

Artemis nodded. "You seek a cure for your master as well, do you not?"

Michelangelo nodded soberly. It hadn't occurred to him that she may wish to return to being human. "Yeah, but only Splinter will need the cure if we find it. He's the only one that was human before the ooze got to him."

Artemis tilted her head to see Michelangelo's face. "You seem sad," she told him.

Michelangelo shook his head and continued walking, pulling her along. "It's nothing. Let's just get back to some training, okay?"

^.^

Venus took Artemis with her to practice with the Chinese Short Axes that she had come to master.

Artemis seemed much more at ease with Venus teaching her, rather than Raphael.

Apollo had gone to his room to meditate.

Leonardo saw Michelangelo watching the two girls training together, and decided this would be a good chance to talk to his brother. "Hey, Mikey," Leonardo said as he approached him.

Michelangelo turned to his brother.

"I was thinking we should go get some more food since we have so many mutants here now," Leonardo told him.

Michelangelo shrugged as he stood from his seat. "And we've been volunteered to go?"

Leonardo smiled at him. "You got it."

^.^

The two turtles carried the grocery bags through the sewer.

"We have gotta get better disguises," Leonardo stated.

"It's not like we have a lot to work with," Michelangelo said, pulling his trench coat closed more. "Not much hides the shell."

Leonardo knew he needed to say something now, or he wouldn't get another chance. "Hey, Mikey," he began.

"Yeah?" Michelangelo said as he continued to walk.

"I've been wanting to talk to you about Artemis," Leonardo continued.

Michelangelo stopped walking. "What about her?" he asked, turning to his brother.

"I know we don't get a lot of girls around, and especially not any mutant girls, so I just wanted to-" Leonardo rambled the speech that he had prepared in his mind.

"To make sure I don't get excited?" Michelangelo interrupted. "Or to make sure I don't imagine we could be together?"

Leonardo sighed. "Look, Mikey, she's just been a little sheltered, so I don't want you to come on too strong."

Michelangelo looked away from his brother. "Like you when we met Venus?"

Leonardo gave Michelangelo an older brother stare. "That's not what we're talking about."

Michelangelo looked to him again. "And why not? You did everything you could to get attention from Venus when she came here."

Leonardo knew he could not deny his brother's words. He had been quite excited when Venus arrived the first time to help them fight the Dragonlord. Chung I had sent her to assist them and lost his life when members of The Rank attacked his home in hopes of ambushing Venus. Instead, they killed Chung I, who had no martial arts training. He had only bought Venus as a baby turtle and accidently dropped her in the sewer that had some ooze in it. He retrieved her, but she began to grow into a human-like form and he could no longer give her to his niece as a gift. He chose to be honorable and raise her as his daughter, and sent her to the Monks to learn the art of Wushu. Leonardo had been overly attentive to her and even begged her to return to live with them after the battle with the Dragonlord had ended and she had completed her grieving for her father. "I was younger then, and I didn't know how to react."

Michelangelo lowered his brow at his brother. "So because a mutant hottie dropped into our sewer now that we're a little older, it makes a difference?"

Leonardo shook his head. "No. It's not our age, Mikey. You've just got to be more careful with her."

Michelangelo looked away from his brother. "What if I don't have time to be careful?"

Leonardo lowered his brow at him. "What are you talking about?"

Michelangelo lowered his eyes to the floor of the sewer. "They're looking for a cure," he explained, "and if she finds one, she'll take it and be human again."

Leonardo thought back to when Apollo told him about their story. He had seemed very desperate to be human again, but Artemis seemed horrified of humans. Would she really want to return to normal? He placed a friendly hand on his brother's shoulder. "Things aren't always that simple, Mikey. Maybe…maybe things will turn out differently."

Michelangelo gave a sad smile to his brother. "You don't believe that either," he said knowingly. He let out a soft laugh and started walking back toward their home. "Come on. I'm starving."

^.^

Raphael set on the floor across from Artemis.

Artemis was as calm as the surface of a lake first thing in the morning, but Raphael was more like boiling water in a pot.

He stood, scoffing and throwing his arms out to the side in frustration. "This ain't workin'!"

Artemis opened her eyes calmly and shook her head at him. "It is not a quick process," she told him softly.

Raphael turned to face her. "But you can get me where I need to be," he told her. He came closer and reclaimed him place on the sewer floor. "You can just take me there like you did before."

Artemis looked at him with an emotion in her eyes that Raphael couldn't place. It had better not be pity though. "How will you get there when I am gone?"

Raphael shrugged. "Got a point there."

Artemis watched his face for a moment. "You have so much torment. Why?"

Raphael broke eye contact with her. "I don't expect someone like you to understand, but I wasn't ever human. When I mutated, I got all the human feelings and even started to look like 'em, but now it's even worse. I could have been an animal, but instead I'm a freak."

Artemis tilted her head to the side as she processed what he said. "Someone…like me?"

Raphael shrugged. "Someone who can be human again when you find a cure."

Artemis lowered her eyes, staring absentmindedly at the floor. "I will never be human," she told him.

Raphael looked to her with just his eyes. "What's that mean?" he asked, sensing there was more to her words than just the idea that a cure may not be found.

Artemis looked to Raphael with a sad smile. "I was never human."

Raphael felt a silence overcome the room. "Wait, but your brother said…"

Artemis shook her head. "Apollo isn't my brother," she said with fondness. She looked to Raphael with her yellow lizard eyes. "Apollo was a young boy who found me in the street as some boys tried to run me over with their bicycles. Human boys are so cruel… but not him. He was so gentle, and kind, and protective…"

"So, are you saying that he was a kid and you were…."

Artemis smiled at him. "His pet newt."

Raphael was speechless. He had been operating under the idea that she was a human that had been mutated, not that she was a kindred spirit to him.

Artemis looked away from him. "I owe him more than I can repay. I won't rest until I find a cure for him."

Raphael let the silence fall over them for a moment. "Then…when you find it, what then?"

Artemis shook her head. "I do not know."

Raphael shrugged. "Well… you could always stay here."

Artemis looked at him with an expression he couldn't read.

"Pasta A La Mikey is served!" Michelangelo's voice rang from further in the sewer.

Artemis smiled excitedly and stood, nearly dashing out the door before she remembered that she had been training with Raphael. She turned and bowed to him. "Thank you for your hard work," she told him.

Raphael nodded and waved her off. "Yeah, yeah. Go see your boyfriend."

Artemis grinned at him as she trotted out of the room.

^.^

Michelangelo watched Artemis as she took a slurp of the pasta he had made. "Whatdaya think?"

Artemis swallowed the mouthful of pasta. "Interesting," she told him.

Michelangelo smiled at her. "So…um…I was thinking we could watch a movie together," he asked her sheepishly.

Artemis lowered her eyebrows in confusion and looked to her brother.

Apollo gave her a reassuring look and turned his gaze back to the meal that he would need to finish eating without complaint.

Artemis turned back to Michelangelo. "What is this…movie?"

Michelangelo smiled at her. "It's like a book with pictures, but they move and talk."

Artemis nodded at him. "All right. I will join you."

Apollo watched Michelangelo for a long moment, and then returned to his meal.

^.^

Michelangelo pushed some DVDs around in the large cardboard box. He needed a movie that wouldn't require a lot of explanation, but that would still be entertaining. He picked up two cartoon films and looked between the two of them.

"Mikey?" Raphael said, noticing his brother. "What are ya doin'?"

Michelangelo looked to Raphael and then back to the movies. "I'm watching a movie with Ari tonight," he said as though it explained everything.

Raphael walked closer to his brother and looked over his shell to what he was looking at. "You're gonna watch a cartoon?"

Michelangelo looked over his shoulder at his brother. "I thought that'd be the easiest."

Raphael folded her arms and looked down at his brother curiously. "Why don't ya just go sewer surfin' with her?"

Michelangelo shook his head. "We need to give that a break for a while. Her brother wasn't a fan." He picked one of the movies and placed the other back in the box. "Besides," he said as he stood and faced his brother, "I've got a plan."

Raphael watched his brother as he skipped away. He shook his head, imagining the plan that his brother may have.

"Red turtle," Ninjara said as she approached him.

"It's Raphael," Raphael responded, lowering his brow at her.

Ninjara nodded, but seemed unaltered by his tone. "_Raphael_," she corrected, "Would you spar with me again?"

Raphael smirked at her. "Well, ya must like punishment. Let's go," he said as he led her into a more open area.

^.^

"Okay," Michelangelo said as he came into the room and place a bowl of popcorn and two sodas on the broken coffee table in front of Artemis, who was dutifully perched on the old couch. "I'll just put the movie in," he said as he pulled the DVD from its case and placed it in a DVD player that was missing some paneling. He returned and sat next to Artemis on the couch, grabbing the television remote as he took his seat.

Artemis watched him as he set the movie up. She looked to the tube television and scrunched her nose a little. "This is a movie?"

Michelangelo smiled at her. "Just give it a minute."

Artemis nodded and looked back to the television. The movie began to play, and she was entranced by the motion picture before her.

Michelangelo watched as Artemis fell into the movie, this being her first ever experience with watching television. He observed that he found her to be cute as she watched with wide eyes. He thought about taking her hand, but decided it would be better not to push his luck.

"_True love's kiss will break the spell_," the main character said, looking quickly to his sidekick.

Artemis furrowed her brow in question. "A kiss will counteract magic?" she asked innocently.

Michelangelo shrugged. "It's kind of a fairy tale thing. Almost everything can be fixed with a kiss in the movies."

Artemis nodded, obviously not fully understanding, but satisfied with his answer. She turned her attention to the television again.

The main character took the sleeping princess in his arms and placed his lips on hers.

Michelangelo imagined what a kiss would feel like. A real kiss. A kiss with someone he liked. He cast a sideways glance at Artemis, his eyes lingering on her reptile-like lips for a long moment. He felt a heat rise in his cheeks when Artemis raised her fingers to her lips and touched them gingerly while never taking her eyes from the television. He pulled his eyes away from her to bring himself back to reality. They weren't on a date. Yes, he was trying very hard to make any interaction with her date-like, but they weren't actually on a date. She probably didn't even understand the significance behind the kiss in the movie. She probably wouldn't understand what it meant if he took her hand. It would really make a mess of things. Venus had spent so much time with them, and even she didn't fully understand everything when it came to romance.

When the movie was over, Michelangelo turned off the television. "So, what did you think?" he asked.

Artemis smiled at him lightheartedly. "It was interesting," she told him.

Michelangelo put the DVD back in the case. "Not the reaction I was going for, but okay."

Artemis looked to him with her large yellow eyes. "I do not understand. Why did the witch curse the princess, and why would CPR reverse the curse?"

Michelangelo chuckled a little. "Not CPR. It was a kiss. The idea is that true love can defeat anything, so a kiss can break any evil spell." He thought for a minute before answering the first part of the question. "And I guess the witch was jealous because the princess was beautiful and everyone liked her."

Artemis nodded and looked at her hands that were sitting poised in her lap. "I understand how she must feel."

Michelangelo looked to her with confusion. "You do?"

Artemis nodded. "Beauty is important to humans. Humans do not like you if you are not beautiful, and if humans do not like you…they hurt you," she explained, watching the blank screen as she spoke.

Michelangelo placed his hand on top of hers, feeling the smoothness of her skin. "I think you're beautiful," he said without filtering his words mentally.

Artemis looked to him with her large yellow eyes, a questioning stare imploring clarification of the words.

Michelangelo realized what he had said, that he had somehow moved closer to her, and that his hand was now on hers. He reflexively removed his hand, holding both of his hands up in surrender, and pulling himself back at the same time. "I mean, uh…I think humans would think you're beautiful, so you don't have to worry about that."

Artemis smiled at him softly. "Thank you," she said softly.

"Maybe we should get to bed," Michelangelo told her, hoping to not destroy the mood any more than he had already.

Artemis stood and bowed to Michelangelo. "Thank you for allowing me to join you for the movie."

Michelangelo smiled and stood up, rubbing the back of his head. "Ah, don't mention it."

Artemis smiled at him and began walking towards her room.

Michelangelo almost called after her, but he thought better of it and let her walk away. He could make this work. She could like him back, and maybe she'd be willing to live with him, or he could move back to China with her. He'd have to figure that out later.

^.^

"Do you not sleep?" Ashia asked, nearly causing Donatello to leap from his shell.

He turned to face her. "I'm just updating my surveillance system before I got to bed."

Ashia looked at him with her catlike eyes. She moved closer, running her fingers over an additional keyboard and mouse that were off to the side as she approached him. "Could you teach me your technology?" she asked him.

Donatello swallowed the lump of nerves that had settled in his throat, but could not control the heat rising in his cheeks. "S-Sure I could!" He secretly hoped that he didn't sound too optimistic.

Ashia gained eye contact and gave Donatello a soft grin. "You are unlike the others," she told him.

Donatello watched her, captivated by her beauty and flawless movements. "W-What do you mean?"

Ashia looked around at the scattered motherboards, hard drives, and various other technologies. "You seem satisfied with this life," she told him.

Donatello was confused by her comment at first, but then he felt he understood. "Oh, my technology? Well, yeah, it keeps me busy."

Ashia shook her head. "No. While the others search for who they are, you have already found what you need in this technology. It is your greatest strength, your identity, your passion, and your lover."

Donatello lowered his brow at her. "I don't-"

Ashia looked to him with a powerful gaze. "This…technology is your everything," she told him. "I understand. I am curious, is it really all you desire?" Her eyes softened as she spoke the final sentence.

Donatello noted what she said. For a moment, he was about to argue, but he realized that she was right. His entire life was dedicated to creating technology and training in his ninjutsu. He truly only trained to be a ninja because Splinter wished for it, though. He poured himself into his work with technology because it occupied his hands and his mind, but had it caused him to ignore his desires and needs? "I…don't know."

Ashia smiled at him sadly. "Go to sleep soon, Donatello," she told him. "Morning will be here soon." She turned on her heel and walked away from him.

Donatello turned to say something more to her, but she was already gone. He sighed and looked down at his keyboard. Was this technology really holding him back?


End file.
